Located in the west of Henan Province in central China, Luoyang occupies quite an important geographic location. It is in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and is encircled by mountains and plains. To its east and west are the Hu Lao Pass and Han Gu Pass which were essential domestic transportation junctions in ancient times. To its north, Mengjin County was an important ferry crossing of the Yellow River. Thus, Luoyang was selected as the capital city by 13 dynasties starting from the Xia Dynasty (21st-16th century BC) in the 21st century BC. In the period following the Han Dynasty (206BC-220), and particularly during the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, the city experienced a period of growth and prosperity and ranked as one of the international metropolitans of the time.
Its long history endows Luoyang with a profound sense of culture. The city is the cradle of Chinese civilization where many Chinese legends happened, such as Nvwa Patching the Sky, Dayu Controlling Flood and the Chinese ancestor Huangdi Establishing the Nation. The city is also famed as the 'Poets Capital' as poets and literates of ancient China often gathered there and left grand works, including 'Book of Wisdom' ('Daode Jing'), 'Han History' ('Han Shu') and 'Administrative Theory of Admonishing Official' ('Zi Zhi Tong Jian'). Religious culture once thrived here. Taoism originated there and the first Buddhist temple set up by the government was located there. Luoyang is also the hometown of many of the scientific inventions of ancient China, such as the seismograph, armillary sphere, paper making, printing and the compass.
Luoyang has rich historical and cultural sites. The Longmen Grottoes are one of China's three most precious treasure houses of stone sculptures and inscriptions. The White Horse Temple is the first Buddhist temple and is honored as the 'Cradle of Buddhism in China'. Mt. Mangshan is where ancient tombs of emperors, nobles and literates in the past dynasties collected. The Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum is the world's first example of the kind and presents thousands of treasures discovered in the tombs. Shaolin Temple is the place of origin for Chinese Zen Buddhism and the cradle of Chinese Martial Art. Landscapes in Luoyang hold the same attraction as the cultural sites. White Cloud Mountain, Funiu Mountain, Long Yu Wan National Forest Park, Ji Guan Limestone Cave and the Yellow River Xiaolangdi Scenic Area are all worth a visit. Additionally, Luoyang is particularly well known for its peonies. Every year in April, the flowers blossom and attract tourists from all over the world.
Dining in Luoyang is quite an enjoyable experience. Various kinds of local dishes, including Water Feast, Yan Cai and others which use the famous Yellow River carps as an ingredient, together with the uniquely flavored soups, will greatly satisfy your taste buds. Luoyang's local specialties such as Palace Lanterns, bronze vessels and Tri-colored glazed potteries will no doubt delight your eyes and offer you ideal souvenirs. Being a modern city as well, Luoyang has hotels of all standards which provide you quite a broad choice for your stay. Most of the hotels have reasonable room prices and perfect services.
Transportation is well developed in Luoyang. Beijiao Airport has many domestic flights extending to many large cities in other provinces. It's also very easy to get to Luoyang by train because one of China's most important railway lines Long Hai Railway traverses the city and connects most cities in east, west and central China. The convenient city buses and taxies can carry you around the city. Near the railway station, special tourist buses can take you to the tourist spots in the suburban areas of the city.
Luoyang, a charming city filled with the fragrance of peonies and the primitive atmosphere of ancient civilization, is waiting and welcoming guests from all over the world. Putting the city into the list of your exploration in China, you will get far more than what you expect.
Longmen Caves
About eight miles south of Luoyang on the Yi River, at a spot where high cliffs on either side form a pass, is a caved area once known as the "Gate of Yi River", which later became known as Longmen, or the “Dragon Gate.” Craftsmen began work on Buddhist grottoes in 494 when an emperor of the Northern Wei moved the capital from what is now known as Datong (Shanxi Province) to Luoyang. The artistry is therefore an extension from Datong. The work at Longmen proceeded through seven dynasties, and in more than 1,300 caves, there are 40 small pagodas, and almost 100,000 Buddha statues ranging in size from one inch to 57 feet. These caves and the stone sculptures they contain rank with the caves at Yungang and Dunhuang as the great remaining masterpieces of Buddhist culture in China.
Luoyang Peonies
China is famous for its peonies, a flower known for its "celestial
beauty and fragrance." The peony symbolizes peace, fortune prosperity. As early as the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) the blossoms from Luoyang were already renowned. The scholar Quyang Xiu wrote a poem declaring that Luoyang soil is the most suitable for cultivating peonies, and local flowers are so beautiful they win the admiration of the world.
Among the many varieties of Luoyang peonies, the most precious are the graceful Yao Yellow and the beautiful Wei Purple, crowned the "king" and "queen" of peonies. The pure, frosty White Which Shines at night and the Two Qiao Beauties, in pink and crimson or violet, show in their beauty the superiority of their species.
